Estimating

Excavation job planner

Work out the loads, compare truck numbers and put a cost behind the job.

Example inputs. Replace quantities, cycle times and rates with your site figures.

Units Currency

Currency changes the label only. Enter all rates in the selected currency.

01 Quantity to excavate Quantity entry

Bank volume m³

Length Width Depth

Swell after excavation · %Loose volume increases by this percentage. Bank volume is the undisturbed quantity.

02 LoadingBucket referenceModel-page bucket values are planning references. Confirm the bucket fitted to your machine.

Bucket capacity Bucket fill · %Dig–swing–dump–return · secondsProductive loading minutes / hour

Loading efficiency covers operating delays. Truck waiting is calculated separately.

03 Trucks & haul route

Trucks on hireUsable truck body Available material payload Loose density Truck spotting / exchange · minLoaded travel · minUnload / destination delay · minEmpty return · min

Enter usable material payload after allowances for the truck and its load limits. Set payload to 0 only for volume-only planning; the load weight will then be unchecked.

04 Rates & job costs

Machine ownership & wear / hourExcavator operator / hourExcavator fuel Fuel price All-in rate per truck / hourDisposal per loose Mobilization · fixedOther job costs · fixed

Machine rate excludes fuel and operator. Truck rate includes its driver and fuel. Do not enter the same cost twice.

05 Allowance & quote

Contingency · %Profit margin · % of saleWorking hours / shift

Margin is calculated on the selling price. Tax is excluded.

Inputs have changed. Recalculate before using or saving this result.

Quote excluding taxUSD

USD 9,678.55

8.07 / bank m³ · 15% margin

Estimated job cost: 8,226.77
Last load delivered: 24.0 working h
Equivalent shifts: 3.00
Loads: 134

Material & loading

Bank quantity: 1,200.0
Loose quantity: 1,500.0
Usable load per truck: 11.3
Bucket passes / full truck: 11

Material payload limits each truck before its body is full.

Volume-only plan. Truck payload has not been checked.

Compare truck numbers

Lowest modeled cost: 4 trucks

Trucks	Delivery h	Loader waiting	Job cost	Use

Trucks

Delivery h

Cost

71.5

12,487.18

35.7

9,251.01

24.0

8,226.77

18.1

7,737.84

16.1

8,197.58

16.1

9,475.96

16.1

10,754.33

16.1

12,032.71

16.1

13,311.08

16.1

14,589.46

16.1

15,867.83

16.1

17,146.21

Finite job, including the partial final load. All selected trucks are on hire from job start until the last truck returns. Compare cost and duration together.

Cost breakdown

Excavator cost runs until loading finishes. Its fuel allowance includes waiting time at the entered average burn. Disposal is charged per loose unit.

Keep this estimate

Job name · optional

Saved jobs stay in this browser. The share link contains numeric assumptions, not your job name or cost records.

What this plan includes

One excavator, identical trucks and one loading station. Each truck is filled within the entered body and material-payload limits. The final bucket and truck can carry a partial load. Loading efficiency, truck exchange, travel and unloading delays are separate inputs. Working shifts are equivalent hours, not a calendar schedule.

The cost covers only the rates and fixed allowances entered. Add excavation support, dewatering, testing, reinstatement, permits, disposal fees and other scope where applicable. Confirm actual payload limits and site conditions before pricing work.

Method and references

Bucket payload = bucket capacity × fill. Loose quantity = bank quantity × (1 + swell). A truck becomes available after loading, loaded travel, unloading and empty return. Loads are scheduled to the next available truck. Quote = cost including contingency ÷ (1 − margin).

See Volvo machine pairing and Caterpillar pass matching for production-planning context. This tool's finite-job scheduling and costing are Heavy Equipment Hub calculations.